Crab cleaning machine



March 12, 1957 Filed Dec. 6, 1955 W. A. THOMPSON ETAL CRAB CLEANING MACHINE .3 Sheets-Sheet 1 6A F/G.

IN VEN TORS tie/VEST A- TI/OMPSOA/ W/ZL/AM A f'f/O'MPSO/V ATTOZA/E Y5 March 12, 1957 w. A. THOMPSON ETAL 2,734,447

CRAB CLEANING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 6, 1955 INVENTORS A rrae/vzs Y5 March 12, 1957 w. A. THOMPSON ETAL 2,784,447

CRAB CLEANING MACHINE Filed Dec. 6, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet I5 INVEN TORS EZA/EST A 7170/11/ 5 011/ BY W/Ll/AM A. THOMPSON AfrafiA/EYS United States Patent CRAB CLEANING MACHINE William A. Thompson and Ernest A. Thompson, Theodore, Ala.

Application December 6, 1955, Serial No. 551,365

Claims. (Cl. 172) This invention relates to food processing apparatus, and more particularly to a machine for removing the backs, removing the gills, and washing crabs.

A main object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved crab-processing machine for removing the backs, removing the gills, and washing crabs, said machine being relatively simple in construction, being substantially automatic in operation, and providing a great saving in the time and labor involved in processing crabs for human consumption.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved machine for removing the backs of crabs, removing the gills thereof, and washing the crabs, said machine involving relatively inexpensive components, being sturdy in construction, being easy to use, and being relatively compact in size.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and claims, and from the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure l is a side elevational view of an improved crab-processing machine constructed in accordance with the present invention, the machine being shown partly in vertical longitudinal cross section.

Figure 2 is an enlarged horizontal cross sectional view of a portion of the machine, taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an enlarged vertical cross sectional detail view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a transverse vertical cross sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a transverse vertical cross sectional view taken on the line 55 of Figure 3.

Figure 6 is an enlarged transverse vertical cross sectional view taken on the line 66 of Figure 1.

Figure 7 is an enlarged cross sectional detail view taken on the line 77 of Figure 6.

Figure 8 is an enlarged cross sectional detail view taken on the line 88 of Figure 1..

Referring to the drawings, the improved crab-processing machine is designated generally at 11 and comprises a supporting frame 12 on which is mounted the horizontal belt conveyor 13, said belt conveyor comprising the respective transverse end rollers 14 and 15 suitably journaled in the opposite ends of the supporting frame 12, on which is mounted the flexible endless belt 16, preferably of chain link, or other suitable open-mesh construction.

The frame 12 comprises respective lower longitudinal, opposing angle bars 17, 17 slidably supporting the lower portion of the flexible conveyor belt 16 at the respective longitudinal side margins of the belt, as shown in Figure 6, the lower portion of the belt being further supported at its intermediate portion by a longitudinal bar 18 mounted on the frame 12. The top portion of the belt is slidably supported at its opposite longitudinal side marginal portions by respective horizontal bar members 19, 19 secured longitudinally on frame 12, and is further slidably supported at its intermediate portion by a 2,784,447 Patented Mar. 12, 1957 "ice longitudinal bar member 20 secured on frame 12 midway between the side longitudinal support bars 19, 19, as shown in Figure 6. The respective longitudinal bars are suitably rigidly connected to the opposite end portions of the frame, and also provided on the frame are the respective vertical corner legs 21 which support the main body of the frame in an elevated position.

Designated at 22 is a drain trough which is supported beneath the frame in any suitable manner and which is connected to a drain conduit 23 for conveying waste water from the machine.

Secured to the frame 12 adjacent the rear roller 14 is a motor bracket 24 on which is mounted an electric motor 25, the shaft of the motor being provided with a relatively small drive pulley 26 which is coupled by a belt 27 to a larger drive pulley 28 connected to the worm element 29 of a speedreducing assembly 30. The speedreducing assembly 30 is secured in any suitable manner to the side of the frame 12, and the driven worm gear thereof is connected to the shaft 31 of the rear roller 14.

Designated at 32 is a cylindrical shell member which is provided at its opposite ends with axially aligned shaft elements 33 and 34, said shaft elements being rigidly connected to the shell member by any suitable means, such as by radial arms, whereby the shell member 32 is supported on said shaft elements 33 and 34, the shaft elements being rotatably supported in respective bearing brackets 35 and 36 provided on the rear portion of the frame 12.

As shown in Figure l, the shell member 32 is supported in an inclined position adjacent the rear end of the belt conveyor 13, and in a position to receive material from the rear end of the conveyor, the shell member being inclined downwardly and rearwardly from the end of the belt conveyor so that material discharged into the shell member may leave the shell member 32 and drop into a suitable receptacle, such as the receptacle 37 shown in dotted view in Figure l. Shaft 33 has secured thereon a pulley 38 which is coupled by a belt 39 to a driving pulley provided on the worm shaft 29, so that the shell 32 is rotated simultaneously with the rotation of the conveyor rear drum 14.

As shown in Figure l, the shell member 32 is formed with uniformly distributed perforations 40 to allow water to freely drain from the shell member as it rotates, the shell member being located over the rear portion of the main trough 22, as illustrated.

Secured on the belt 13 are the successive spaced pairs of upstanding pin elements 41, 41, said pin elements being spaced apart so that they travel on opposite sides of the lower longitudinal supporting bar 18, as shown in Figure 6. The spacing between the pin elements 4], 41 is sufficient so that a crab may be engaged therebetween and be held on the belt as the belt moves on its longitudinal supports 19, 19 and 20.

The frame 12 is formed at the rear portion of the top run of the conveyor belt 16 with the respective vertical upstanding wall elements 42, 42 located adjacent the rcspective side edges of the belt. As shown in Figure 8, said wall element 42 may be formed integrally with the rear portions of the longitudinal top side bars 19. Designated at 43 is a knife member which is secured on the forward portions of the top edges of the side walls 42, 42, transversely overlying the top run of the belt 16, said knife member being inclined downwardly and forwardly. and being formed at its forward edge with the rearwardly convergent, opposing, inwardly and forwardly facing blade elements 44, 44 which are spaced above the top run of the belt 16 by a distance such that said blade elements 44 engage between the back and the body of a crab as it is moved rearwardly, namely, from left to right. as viewed in Figure l, on the top run of the belt. The

blade member 43 is further formed with a central, forwardly directed prong element 45 spaced midway between the blade elements 44, 44, and extending substantially horizontally, as shown in Figure 3, to assist in separating the back of a crab from its body as the crab is moved against the blade elements 44, 44.

The forward portions of the longitudinal belt-supporting top bars 19, 19 are formed with respective vertical flanges 46, 46 located adjacent the respective side edges of the belt 16. Rigidly secured to the top edges of the flanges 46 adjacent the knife member 43 are the respee tive pairs of upstanding pin elements 48, 48, said pin elements having the respective top heads 49. Designated at 47, 47 are respective transverse bar members which are formed with apertures at their opposite ends and which engage the respective pin elements 48 through said apertures, whereby the bars 47, 47 are slidable vertically on the pin elements 48. Respective coiled springs 50 are provided on the pin elements between the bar members 47 and the heads 49 of the pin elements, biasing the bar members downwardly. Rigidly secured to the bottom surfaces of the transverse bar members 47, 47 at their intermediate portions is the longitudinally extending, downwardly concave shoe member 51, the forward portion of said shoe member being inclined upwardly and forwardly, as shown at 52 in Figure 3, the rear end of the shoe member 51 extending substantially between the rearwardly convergent knife blade elements 44, 44, as shown in Figures 2 and 3. As will be readily apparent, the shoe member 51 is adapted to engage a crab as it moves thereunder on the belt 16 and to clampingly secure said crab on the belt so that the crab will be positively moved forwardly by the associated pair of upstanding projections 41, 41 engaging the crab and will be brought against the blade elements 44, 44 and the prong 45 so that the back of the crab will be severed from its body. As shown in Figure 2, the forward portion 52 of the shoe member 51 is located in a position to suecessively engage crabs placed on the forward end of the conveyor belt 16 and moved rearwardly on the belt by respective pairs of upstanding projections 41, 41.

Transversely secured over the belt 16 rearwardly adjacent the knife member 43 are a pair of arched supporting rods 54, 54, the ends of said rods being rigidly secured to the upstanding side wall elements 42, 42 in any suitable manner, as by welding or the like. As shown in Figure 3, the foremost rod 54 is secured against the rear edge of the inclined knife member 43. The supports 54 are connected by longitudinal bars 55, and secured to said bars 55 are the brush bristles 56 which project downwardly and inwardly in opposing relationship, as shown in Figure 4, being located so as to engage the body of a crab after its back has been removed therefrom and to remove the gills from the crab. The brush bristles may be of suitable stiffness to remove the undesired material i from the body of the crab, and may be made of any suitable material. such as wire or the like.

As shown in Figure 5, the knife member 43 is bowed upwardly and thus defines downwardly sloping top sur faces at the opposite sides of the crest of the knife member, whereby the severed crab backs will be discharged laterally from the top of the knife member 43 and will fall into suitable receptacles, such as receptacles 57, shown in dotted view in Figure 1, disposed on opposite sides of the knife member 43.

Rigidly secured beneath the knife member 43 substantially in alignment with the prong 45 is the longitudinal bar 58 which extends a substantial distance rearwardly beyond the opposing brushes 56, 56, the bar 58 being supported at its intermediate portion by a depending arm 59 rigidly secured to and depending from the intermediate portion of the rearmost arched transverse support 54. Secured to the rear portion of the longitudinal bar 58 is a depending brush 60 of suitable brush material of sub- 4 stantial stiffness which overlies the intermediate portion of the belt 16 and which is arranged to engage the body of a crab as it is moved thereunder and to remove the crab eggs therefrom.

Designated at 62 is a hood member having the respective side walls 63, 63 which are formed at their bottom edges with inturned flanges 64, 64 rigidly secured to the top marginal portions of the respective upstanding side Wall elements 42, 42 and 46, 46. The side walls 63 of the hood member 62 are formed with respective notches 65, 65 laterally adjacent the respective opposite sides of the knife member 43, to allow discharge of severed crab backs laterally from the machine. Designated at 66 is a longitudinally extending sprinkler conduit which is secured to the bottom surface of the top wall of hood 62, as by spaced U-shaped brackets 67, the conduit 63 extending rearwardly a substantial distance beyond the rear end of the conveyor 13 and being formed with the downwardly and rearwardly inclined end portion 69 extending into and through the top portion of the aper tured shell member 32. A suitable water supply hose 68 is connected to the sprinkler conduit 66. The sprinkler conduit 66 is provided with spaced downwardly directed discharge spout elements 70 arranged to direct sprays of water onto the crabs as they are moved beneath the knife member 43 and on the bodies of the crabs as they are moved beyond the knife member on the belt 16 of the conveyor and into the cleaning drum 32.

In operation, the crabs are placed on the forward end of the belt 16, adjacent the respective pairs of upstanding projections 41, the projections 41 moving the crabs beneath the shoe member 51, as above described, whereby the shoe member clampingly holds the crabs against the belt 16, forcing the crabs against the opposing blade elements 44, 44 of the knife member 43, and against the prong member 45. The backs of the crabs are thus severed from the bodies thereof, the bodies then traveling beneath the knife member 43 and between the downwardly and inwardly inclined opposing brushes 56, 56, whereby the gills are removed from the crab bodies. The crab bodies thereafter pass beneath the bar member 58 and are engaged by the depending brush 60, whereby the crab eggs are removed from the crab bodies. When the crab bodies reach the end of the belt, they are discharged therefrom into the rotating cleaning drum 32, wherein the bodies are thoroughly sprayed and cleansed. Finally the crab bodies drop into the receptacle 37.

While a specific embodiment of an improved machine for removing the backs, removing the gills, and Washing crabs has been disclosed in the foregoing description, it will be understood that various modifications within the spirit of the invention may occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, it is intended that no limitation be placed on the invention except as defined by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A crab processing machine to remove the backs, remove the gills and wash crabs comprising a supporting frame, a longitudinal conveyor belt mounted on the frame, transversely spaced upstanding projections on the belt spaced to engage a crab and hold the crab on the belt as the belt moves, a knife member secured to the frame over the belt and having convergent, opposing inwardly facing blade elements thereon, shoe means secured to the frame over the belt and being formed and arranged to clamp a crab to the belt as the opposite sides of the crab are engaged by said blade elements, said blade elements being located so as to engage between the back and the body of the crab and to separate said back from said body as the crab is moved thercpast, brush means secured to the frame rearwardly adjacent the blade elements and being formed and arranged to remove the gills of the crab as it moves past the brush means, and longitudinally extending sprinkler means mounted on the frame over the belt.

2. A crab processing machine to remove the backs, remove the gills and wash crabs comprising a supporting frame, a longitudinal conveyor belt mounted on the frame, transversely spaced upstanding projections on the belt spaced to engage a crab and hold the crab on the belt as the belt moves, an inclined knife member secured to the frame over the belt and being formed at its forward edge with rearwardly convergent opposing inwardly and forwardly facing blade elements, bracket means secured to the frame forwardly adjacent the knife member and overlying the belt, a longitudinal shoe member yieldingly secured to said bracket means over the belt and being formed and arranged to clamp a crab to the belt as the opposite sides of the crab are engaged by said blade elements, said blade elements being located so as to engage between the back and the body of the crab and to separate said back from said body as the crab is moved past the knife member, a set of opposing inwardly facing brushes secured to the frame rearwardly adjacent said knife member formed and arranged to remove the gills of the crab as it moves past the brushes, and a longitudinally extending sprinkler conduit mounted on the frame over the belt.

3. A crab processing machine to remove the backs, remove the gills and wash crabs comprising a supporting frame, a longitudinal conveyor belt mounted on the frame, transversely spaced upstanding projections on the belt spaced to engage a crab and hold the crab on the belt as the belt moves, an inclined knife member secured to the frame over the belt and being formed at its forward edge with rearwardly convergent opposing inwardly and forwarding facing blade elements, and a central forwardly directed prong element, the top surface of said knife member sloping downwardly on the opposite sides thereof to guide the severed crab backs laterally off the knife member, bracket means secured to the frame forwardly adjacent to the knife member and overlying the belt, a longitudinal shoe member yieldingly secured to said bracket means over the belt and being formed and arranged to clamp a crab to the belt as the opposite sides of the crab are engaged by said blade elements, said blade elements being located so as to engage between the back and the body of the crab and to separate said back from said body as the crab is moved past the knife, a set of opposing inwardly facing brushes secured to the frame rearwardly adjacent said knife member and being formed and arranged to remove the gills of the crab as it moves past the brushes, and a longitudinal sprinkler conduit mounted on the frame over the belt.

4. A crab processing machine to remove the backs, remove the gills and wash crabs comprising a supporting frame, a longitudinal conveyor belt mounted on the frame, transversely spaced upstanding projections on the belt spaced to engage a crab and hold the crab on the belt as the belt moves, an inclined knife member secured to the frame over the belt and being formed at its forward edge with rearwardly convergent opposing inwardly and forwardly facing blade elements and a central forwardly directed prong element, the top surface of said knife member sloping downwardly on the opposite sides thereof to guide the severed crab backs laterally off the knife member, bracket means secured to the frame forwardly adjacent to the knife member and overlying the belt. a longitudinal shoe member yieldingly secured to said bracket means over the belt and being formed and arranged to clamp a crab to the belt as the opposite sides of the crab are engaged by said blade elements, said blade elements being located so as to engage between the back and the body of the crab and to separate said back from said body as the crab is moved past the knife member, a set of opposing inwardly facing brushes secured to the frame rearwardly adjacent said knife member formed and arranged to remove the gills of the crab as it moves past the brushes, a longitudinal bar member secured beneath the central portion of the knife member and extending rearwardly a substantial distance beyond said set of brushes, a de pending additional brush secured to the rear portion of said bar member and arranged to engage a crab body on the belt to remove the eggs therefrom, and a longitudinal sprinkler conduit mounted on the frame over the belt.

5. A crab processing machine to remove the backs, remove the gills and wash crabs comprising a supporting frame, a longitudinal conveyor belt mounted on the frame, transversely spaced upstanding projections on the belt spaced to engage a crab and hold the crab on the belt as the belt moves, an inclined knife member secured to the frame over the belt and being formed at its forward edge with rearwardly convergent opposing inwardly and forwardly facing blade elements and a central forwardly directed prong element, the top surface of said knife member sloping downwardly on the opposite sides thereof to guide the severed crab backs laterally off the knife member, bracket means secured to the frame forwardly adjacent to the knife member and overlying the belt, a longitudinal shoe member yieldingly secured to said bracket means over the belt and being formed and arranged to clamp a crab to the belt as the opposite sides of the crabs are engaged by said blade elements, said blade elements being located so as to engage between the back and the body of the crab and to separate said back from said body as the crab is moved past the knife member, a set of opposing inwardly facing brushes secured to the frame rearwardly adjacent said knife member formed and arranged to remove the gills of the crab as it moves past the brushes, a longitudinal bar member secured beneath the central portion of the knife member and extending rearwardly a substantial distance beyond said set of brushes. a depending additional brush secured to the rear portion of said bar member and arranged to engage a crab body on the belt to remove the eggs therefrom, a perforated, downwardly and rearwardly inclined cleaning drum rotatably mounted adjacent the rear end of the belt and arranged to receive the crab bodies from the rear end of the belt, and a longitudinal sprinkler conduit mounted on the frame over the belt and extending into said perforated cleaning drum.

No references cited. 

